07 December 2003 - 23:37 Norway's Solbakken Wins World Cup Super-G

BEAVER CREEK, Colo. - Norway's Bjarne Solbakken earned his first World Cup victory Sunday, holding off Hermann Maier in a super giant slalom. Solbakken covered the demanding Birds of Prey course in 1 minute, 13.05 seconds, beating Maier by 0.39 seconds. Another Austrian, Hans Knauss, was third in 1:13.50.

Bjarne Solbakken

Maier, who turned 31 Sunday, was presented with a birthday cake on the medals stand. His performance was another step in his remarkable comeback from a motorcycle accident in August 2001 that nearly cost him his right leg.

Hermann Maier

Hermann Maier

Bode Miller, runner-up in last season's World Cup overall standings, made a mistake for the third straight day. The American crashed on Friday and missed a gate Saturday. This time, he skied wide on a turn and missed a gate near the top.

Italy's Peter Fill took fourth in 1:13.58, followed by Switzerland's Didier Cuche in 1:13.73 and Norway's Lasse Kjus in 1:13.76.

Daron Rahlves of Sugar Bowl, Calif., who won Friday's downhill, finished 12th in 1:14.17. Jakub Fiala of Frisco, Colo., was a career-best 13th in 1:14.23.

Hans Knauss

Solbakken's best previous finish in four seasons on the World Cup circuit was a third in Friday's downhill.

Solbakken, the ninth skier out of the start house, put up a quick run, then waited at the finish as 21 higher-seeded skiers tried, to beat him.

Maier won the season's opening super-G last Sunday in Lake Louise, Alberta, as well as Saturday's downhill in Beaver Creek. On Sunday, he came down 28th and was slightly faster than Solbakken at the third intermediate clocking but lost precious seconds on the bottom of the course.

Hermann Maier and Bjarne Solbakken

Light snow fell during much of the race and reduced visibility for later racers.

By JOHN MOSSMAN, AP Sports Writer, 07.12.2003